Ferrari: “Think about the V6 but don’t forget the V8”
In 2014, Formula 1 will experience a small revolution or, in any case, a major upheaval in its engine technology with the arrival of the V6 Turbo replacing the current V8. The development of this new engine is already well underway within the different teams, but the current V8 should not be forgotten either. Not simple.
Last week we learned that Ferrari was making good progress in the development of its V6 Turbo which will be introduced in 2014. Yesterday, during the press conference organized by the FIA, Mattia Binotto, the engine chief at the Scuderia, discussed the difficulty of developing this engine while still focusing on the current V8 that will still equip the cars next season.
I think that is the real challenge of this new engine. Designing and developing it is quite difficult, but having two projects in parallel is even more so. From an installation perspective, using a test bench for the V6 means not using it for the V8. It also means that all benches must be adapted for the V6, and you must choose the right time to do it. We are running the V6 on the bench, which means we have one less test bench for the V8, and that will increasingly be the case. You have to push on the current season because you can’t slow down on the development of the V8, but at the same time, you have to look towards the V6, explains Mattia Binotto.
To this, it must be added that the aerodynamics departments are also seriously starting to think about the 2013 single-seaters, and this field should also undergo some changes in 2014. More scheduling headaches in perspective for the different teams in the championship.
From our correspondent in Spa-Francorchamps.
